Improvement in stills for petroleum



J. WARREN.

Petroleum Still. No. 102,186 Patented 11 1111 19, 1870.

Fig- 1.

Fig. 2

. y x x .1. a x a Witnesses. Inventor.

N.PETE.RS. PHOTO-LHHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. D. O.

Tflnitrd s am pane atria.

Letters Patent No. 102,186, dated Apr i119, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN STILLS FOR PETROLEUM.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it-may concern Be itknown that I, Joan WARREN, of Flushing, in the county of Queens and in the State of New York, .have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Stills; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a horizontal section of my improved still on the line a: it of fig. 2; and

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same on the line y y of fig. 1.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.-

The object of my invention is to furnish an adjust able standard or support for the still-bottom, and also to provide for the opening or closing of the upper end of the tar-pipe, at its point of connection with the still; and to this end It consists, principally, in the employment of an adjustable central support for the bottom of a still, as is hereinafter specified.

It also consists in closing the tar-pipe when not in use, at or within the still, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

In stills as ordinarily constructed, the central standard or support i'srigidly secured to the top and bottom of the still, soas to cause said parts to retain their relative positions at all times. 7

The result of such arrangement is to cause the bottom of the still to bulge downward between the center and outer edge, when highly heated and heavily loaded, and not to return to its original position when cooled.

These objections are removed by my improved support, which, as seen in the annexed drawing, consists of a rod, A, provided at its upper end with a screwthread and nut, a, and at and near its lower end with two collars B and B.

A metal cross, 0, secured at the ends of its arms 0 to the still-bottom D, and springing upward in the form of an arch, furnishes a means for attaching the support A to said bottom, the lower end of said support being passed --through a corresponding central opening within the cross, with one of the collars B upon either side of the latter.

The upper end of the support A is provided with a screw'thread and nut, a, and extends through the top ofthe still E, upon which said nut it rests, so'that, by turning the rod or support to the right, said support will bedrawn upward until the lower collar B is caused to-bear against the lower side of the cross 0, in which position the necessary degree of tension may be readily secured, and the still-bottom properly supported.

As the still becomes heated, and before it is intensely hot, a. large proportion of the oil or other contents is thrown off in the distillation, and the weight greatly reduced, when the support may be slackened, so as to permit the bottom to expand and press downward, after which adjustment no farther care is necessary, as it will be readily seen that, when the still cools off, and the bottom contracts and draws upward, the cross 0 will slide freely upon the support, which offers no obstacle to its movement, or that of said bottom.

It is believed that the hereinbefore-described sup port will materially increase the durability of a still, and that, when once known, its general use is certain.

In stills now in use, great inconvenience and loss is occasioned by the coking and consequent obstruction of the tar-pipe when pot in use.

To overcome this difiiculty, a female screw-thread is provided within the upper end of the tar-pipe F, into which is fitted a plug, G, having upon its periphery a corresponding male screw-thread, so that, when said plug is screwed into said pipe, the entrance to the latter is entirely'closed.

In order that the tar-pipe F .may be opened when desired, a rod, H, is secured to the upper end of the plug G, and from thence passes upward through a suitable opening in the top E of the still, where it is provided with a hand-wheelfI, or any other equivalent device, by means-of which it may be rotated.

As thusarranged, the tar-pipe is closed from above, except when it is desired to draw ofi the tar after distillation is completed, and, being empty at other times or when distillation is taking place, it will be seen that no coking canever occur, and that said pipe will at all timcsbe ready for use.

Havingthus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, v

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment of an adjustable support for a still-bottom, substantially as and for the purpose;

specified.

Also, the support A, provided with the screwthread and nut a, and with the collars B and B, and connected with the still-bottom D by means of the cross 0, or other equivalent mechanical device, sub-- stantially as shown; and for thepurpose described.

Also, closing the mouth of the tar-pipe at its junction with the still-bottom, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

Also, the plug G, fitting into the tar-pipe F, and operated by means of the rod H, or its equivalent, substantially as'and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of December,- 1869.

J O'HN WARREN. I

Witnesses:

WM. W.-N1LEs, J onn CORNISH. 

